General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced that the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract to sustain its new fleet of MQ-9B, medium-altitude, long-range endurance, remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) systems on 9 June 2025.
The contract – known as the UK Protector Availability and Support Solution (UK PASS) — is a direct commercial sale that will provide ongoing support for the new systems that the manufacturer is delivering to the UK Royal Air Force (RAF).
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Designated the Protector RG Mk1, the RAF will operate 16 MQ-9B aircraft, replacing its predecessor the MQ-9A Reaper which the service used since 2007 in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.
The MoD recently decided to continue operating its ten-strong legacy Reaper fleet well into this year rather than transferring the complex reconnaissance and ground-attack system to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Protector can operate at altitudes of up to 40,000 feet, with more than 40 hours of flight endurance.
The airframe can be fitted with precision strike weapons such as Brimstone and the Paveway IV laser guided bombs, although its primary mission will likely be Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) roles.
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By GlobalDataThe payload comprises a complex suite of sensors, including a high-definition electro-optical, infrared camera, which, combined with endurance, provides a persistent reconnaissance capability across the electro-magnetic spectrum.
The first Protector arrived at RAF Waddington in 2023.
MQ-9B global support model
“With the UK PASS contract in place, we can now transition from the test and development phase of the program to training the RAF flight crews for operations,” said Chris Dusseault, vice president of MQ-9B in Europe.
UK PASS is part of GA-ASI’s SkyGuardian Global Support Solutions (SGSS), which provides support for the entire MQ-9B customer base. SkyGuardian is the moniker that General Atomics gave the aircraft.
SGSS is a shared contractor logistics support model, with resources such as labour, material, and overhead for maintenance, supply management, and other support functions required to sustain the RPA system, pooled together for use by the entire customer base. This approach provides efficiencies and a lower cost for customers.
MQ-9B includes the SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian models with orders from Canada, Poland, the Japan Coast Guard, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Taiwan, India, and the US Air Force in support of the Special Operations Command.
MQ-9B has also supported various US Navy exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, and Group Sail.
